Home For Christmas
by evidently-emily
Summary: Winry wanted one thing for Christmas, and it was nothing that Santa could fit in his bag. EdWin.


**Author's Note:**

It's about 12:00 on Christmas Eve, and you know the only person insane enough to deliver you a fanfiction on this day would be me. Anyway, I hope everyone is having an excellent holiday...and if you're on the computer...get off and spend time with your family! I'm an okay mood, but a lot of good stuff is going on...like the Youmacon 2008 site is up...yay! Anyway, enjoy, read, review, please!

**Dedication:**

Aaron Dismuke.

HE REALLY COMMENTED ME BACK! Haha!

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own anything but the story.

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The Christmas tree was finally set up, after hours of lugging and decorating, and it looked almost…well, well put together. Glimmering white lights were tucked deep into the green needles of the tree, and pine cones were hiding in branches. Red ribbon and garland was strung across the tree, cranberry and popcorn strings of garland from Winry's past sparked nostalgic feelings off of the young girl.

Christmas used to be one of Winry's favorite times of year. Cheer seemed to be spread through out the whole town—and Winry used to gather around the piano with her grandmother and the Elric's for carols and then a large feast, prepared by Trisha and Pinako, but Winry did her part. She remembered gifts given to her that she would never have given herself, but that she still embraced because it was from people she loved. Her first kiss had been under the mistletoe with Edward when they were nine years old. Now, all of those things were nothing but empty memories—too far away for her to grasp.

It was Christmas Eve, December 24th, the day before Christmas. Chezka had left to visit the family that she had left living, so it was just Pinako and Winry—but Pinako had prepared a feast for seventeen. Winry had known what she wanted for Christmas—but not even the mythical St. Nick could deliver just what she wanted. Winry had donned her best red cashmere sweater and a pair of black slacks, putting away her grease-stained work clothes. She had even combed out the knots in her blonde curls, glossing her lips with red and spritzing her mother's finest perfume.

Pinako wanted a real Christmas, and she had gone to so much effort finding the tree and making the dinner, that Winry decided to dress up, even if it was for not such regal company.

"Winry, is that tree done yet?" Pinako called to her grand daughter who was staring down at the garland that was resting in her hands.

"What? Oh, yes, Grandma," Winry wiped her hands on the seat of her pants and trudged over to the table, taking a seat next to her Grandmother. Pinako hastily dolled out butter-glazed turkey, ripe cranberry sauce, freshly baked bread, green bean casserole, and a pitcher of fresh milk. Winry licked her lips, she had worked up quite the apetite with all of this festive work, but she didn't feel much in the spirit, still.

After they said grace, Winry and Pinako began eating, in silence. Pinako kept a watchful eye on her grand daughter as she took careful bites. Winry on the other hand, was staring dreamily out the window as snow gracefully, slowly blanketed the peaceful fields. Winry breathed in the scented air, finishing off her plate, and dumping it in the sink. She wiped off her hands on a dish towel.

"That was great, Grandma. I'm going to go out for a little bit." Winry told her grandmother, doing her best to smile cheerfully, but the attempted faltered miserably.

She didn't worry about a coat, but instead walked onto the porch, shivering at the first contact of the cold air. Winry closed her eyes for a brief moment, before opening them to walk down the steps. Her feet crunched into the thick snow, she crossed her arms across her chest, walking with a hazed look on her face into the distance.

A tree in the distance caught her attention, and she slowly grazed her way over, sinking her back onto the trunk and letting her body relax in the snow. The snow burned her flesh, causing her joints to ache and her teeth to chatter, but she felt safe. Safe enough to let her "I'm Alright" façade to loosen and let the real Winry come out. Tears streamed down her face, and soon she was crying into the sleeves of her sweater, wishing.

What good was Christmas, when the one thing she wanted, the one person she wanted, was miles away, untouchable, unreachable.

"It's not good to cry on Christmas Eve. Santa's watching, you know."

"Go away," Winry croaked out, not wanting to look up to see who it is.

"I traveled all this way…and that's the thanks I get?"

Winry looked up, and she almost felt as though she was hallucinating. There he was, Edward Elric, in the flesh. He had grown a little bit, looked a little more relaxed, and his hair was darker. Winry swallowed, stumbling up to see that he had grown to be the same height she was, if not a little taller.

"What's wrong?" He asked, the smile on his face fading a little bit.

"Is it…is it really you, Edward?" Winry asked.

"Who else?" Edward replied.

Winry wrapped her arms around him, causing Edward to stumble back a little bit, but he wrapped his arms around her too, running a soothing hand through her blonde locks. "It's alright, Winry. I'm back. I'm back for good." He replied, and leaned over and kissed her.

Winry Rockbell got everything she wanted for Christmas—Edward Elric.


End file.
